The Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Her Excellency Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax on 31st January 2018 visited the Tanzanian Embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to express her condolences to Lieutenant General (retired) Paul Mella, Ambassador of United Republic of Tanzania to the DRC for the loss of 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers who died in an attack in December, 2017.
During the visit to the Embassy, Dr Tax signed a condolence book. “While we mourn the death of the fallen soldiers, SADC will forever value their brevity and contributions to SADC peace and security aspiration. The death of the fallen peacekeepers strengthens SADC resolve to do more to ensure sustained peace, security and prosperity in the DRC and the SADC region as a whole. SADC is determined, our brave soldiers should not be discouraged with such wicked actors,” she said.
Ambassador Mella thanked the SADC Executive Secretary for taking time during her two-day mission to the DRC to visit and show SADC support and solidarity with Tanzania following the tragic death of the Tanzanian peacekeepers in the DRC.
The Tanzanian peacekeepers killed in the attack at a base in Eastern DRC, were members of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces participating in a peacekeeping operation as part of the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).
